The Raven's Love
by Lollipop456
Summary: DiavalxOC. When a servant from the castle grows curious and decides to explore the moors, she finds what she believes to be an injured bird and decides to nurse it back to health. Little does she know, the bird can actually become human and is named Diaval. Now, Diaval must choose between a newfound love or his loyal servitude with Maleficent.
1. Chapter 1

Isabel looked out the window, staring at the distant moors. Even though there was peace between the mystical, mysterious creatures of the moor and the kingdom, her mother and father still didn't want Isabel to wonder to the place that they still considered to be dangerous.

"Isabel!"

Isabel turned around and saw her mother coming towards her, frowning and scowling. She grabbed Isabel by the arm and gently led her away from the window.

"You should be minding the wash." Elinor said.

Isabel shrugged. "I was only looking, mother."

"Harm can come even then. Your great-great grandmother had stared so long at the moors one day that an evil, vile creature came and put a curse on her. She was blind from that day forward."

Isabel struggled to not roll her eyes. Perhaps, as a child, she would have been naturally fooled by her parents' superstitious tales. However, at twenty-years now, she was no longer naive and was becoming quite restless for life beyond the castle.

"Here," Elinor forced a heavy basket of linens into Isabel's hands. "take this up to Queen Aurora's chamber."

Isabel sighed. "Yes, mother."

Isabel left the washroom and carried the basket of dry linens to the chamber of Queen Aurora. She found the young queen sitting by the cradle of the newborn prince.

"Your majesty." Isabel curtsied and set the basket down. "I've brought your linens."

"Thank you, Isabel."

As Isabel turned to leave, a sudden surge of curiosity got the best of her. She knew that Queen Aurora was also the ruler of the moors and would often spend many weeks there. Even though she was likely to sound forward, she could not leave until her question had been answered.

"Your Majesty, if I may speak openly?"

Queen Aurora looked up and smiled gently. "You may."

Isabel walked back up to the queen and sat next to the cradle. "What are the moors like? What, I mean is, are they really dangerous?"

"No. They are a peacful place, with the sort of wonder and fantasies that you could only dream. Fairies, trolls, tree people...they all have no worries. It's a wonderful place."

Isabel smiled and then stood up, curtseying. "Thank you, your Majesty."

Isabel left the chamber, already knowing what she must do. If ever her curiosity and fascination with the moors was to be satisfied, then she would have to go there.


	2. Chapter 2

During the night, Isabel sneaked out of the servants' quarters and began to walk towards the moors. When she finally arrived, she could only sigh in disappointment. All she could see was trees, trees, and more trees. There wasn't a single sign of life. Still, she knew that the queen was no liar and that she had waited her entire life to be a witness to something wonderful; so, she went further into the moors.

Stopping by a stream, Isabel dipped her hand in the water to take a drink. She nearly fell backwards when three bluish lights popped out of the water. When she stood to get a closer look, she found that these lights had faces. Not just faces, but bodies as well.

"Fairies!" Isabel whispered.

The fairies, at first, did nothing but circle Isabel and study her. In complete wonder, all Isabel could do was laugh. Suddenly, she felt something tugging at her dress and the fairies flew off in a hurry. Isabel looked down to see a short, grotesque creature pulling urgently at her dress.

"Hello. Are you a goblin?"

The creature stopped its tugging and seemed to be shying away. It soon gestured with its hand and dashed further into the moors. Sighing, Isabel followed the goblin and soon realized that the creature was running far too fast. There was something wrong.

"What is it? Has something happened? Is someone hurt?" Isabel called to the goblin.

The goblin soon stopped and pointed to the ground; Isabel gasped when she saw just exactly what the goblin was pointing to. A raven writhed about on the ground, an arrow piercing its wing.

"A hunter must have done this." Isabel murmured, the goblin nodded.

Wasting no time, Isabel sat next to the injured bird and gently pressed her hand against it, trying to calm it.

"Ssh. It's all right. I'm here to help you."

The raven seemed to understand and relaxed under Isabel's touch. She quickly took hold of the arrow and pulled it out the wing, using a shred of her dress to stop the bleeding. Thankfully, the wound didn't seem to bleed much, but Isabel could tell that the wing was broken, most likely from the raven trying to fly. She tore off another shred of her dress and wrapped it around the wing.

"You can't stay here. Come with me, I'll take you back to the castle so that you can get well."

Isabel removed her cloak and wrapped the raven in it; she picked up the injured animal and began to walk home. She did not even notice the tall, horned figure that was watching from a distance.


	3. Chapter 3

Isabel quietly sneaked back into the servants quarters. Thankfully, it was dawn by the time she returned and everyone had already left to begin the morning chores. She carefully laid the raven down on her blanket, stroking the top of its head.

"I'll find you some meat and water. You'll be safe here." Isabel said calmly.

Isabel tiptoed into the kitchen, and soon spotted a small slab of mutton laying on the cutting board. She grabbed a knife and carved off a piece, only to be surprised when she realized the cook was staring at her in amazement.

Isabel took the piece of mutton and stood up straight. "I happened to miss my breakfast."

Isabel returned to the servants quarters and laid the mutton in front of the raven, who turned its head away.

"Come now, you don't have to eat the whole thing." Isabel said, but the raven still wouldn't eat. "It won't do no good to starve yourself."

The raven finally grabbed a slither of the mutton with its beak, chewing and swallowing it.

Isabel smiled. "That's better. The cook is in the kitchen, so I have to fetch your water at the well. I'll be back soon."

Isabel left again to go to the well in the castle's garden. As soon as she filled the bucket, she stopped and watched the sun rise over the hills. Sighing happily, she grabbed the bucket of water and returned to the servants quarters.

She screamed and dropped the bucket when she saw a naked man laying in her bed. The man was startled and studied his body, before giving an exasperated sigh.

"Oh, damn..."

That was all the man had time to say before Isabel began throwing whatever she could find at him.

"Wait, please. Let me explain."

"Explain? I rescued a raven, not a naked man!"

"I know what you rescued, because-"

Isabel finally succeeded in hitting the man in the jaw with her shoe.

"If you will calm down, and let me explain. Please." The man said calmly.

Isabel looked ready to throw her other shoe, but instead let out a deep breath and lowered her arm.

"Explain, quickly. I still have my other shoe."

The man sighed. "My name is Diaval. I am the raven that you rescued."

Isabel shook her head slowly. "I don't believe you."

"You don't believe me? Then look at my arm."

Isabel had been so busy attacking the man that she hadn't noticed that a bloodied shred of her dress was wrapped around his arm.


	4. Chapter 4

After finding clothing for Diaval, Isabel decided to listen to his explanation. As she listened, she found herself believing Diaval, even though the story was bizarre.

"So, at night you're a raven, and help this...Maleficent...protect the moors?"

"That's right, and during the day I become human. At first, when Maleficent first transformed me, I wasn't fond of being human; over time, it grew on me, but I didn't want to stop being what I truly was either. Maleficent found a way to make me happy."

"She sounds like a good person."

Diaval smiled. "She is."

Isabel eyed the bandage around Diaval's arm. "May I ask about your injury?"

"I was collecting food, when I spotted a hunter. Before I knew it, I had an arrow in my wing. Some of the fairies chased off the hunter, while I tried to fly for help. I didn't get very far before..."

"Before I found you."

Diaval looked at Isabel. "Yes. I can't thank you enough for saving me."

Isabel only smiled and then gave a deep sigh. "Well, this does change things. I certainly can't hide a grown man."

"You don't have to. I'll return to the Moors." Diaval began to stand, but Isabel put a hand on his uninjured arm to stop him.

"You can't. With your injury, you'd be easy prey to hunters and couldn't search for food."

"Well, you certainly can't go on hiding me."

Isabel chuckled. "Not with my parents superstitions. Perhaps the queen would be-"

"The queen? You know her?"

"Yes. Oh, in all this confusion I had forgotten to tell you where you were. This is the castle; I'm a servant here."

"Take me to the queen."

"What?"

"Take me to the queen, I'll speak with her."

Isabel arched an eyebrow. "Perhaps I should explain everything to her first. She might be surprised by your story."

"Believe me, my lady. She won't."

Isabel wasn't sure if Diaval was mad or suicidal, but she couldn't deny the request of an injured person. She just hoped that Queen Aurora wouldn't faint on sight.


	5. Chapter 5

Isabel took Diaval to the throne room, where Queen Aurora was meeting with her council. When she turned to see who entered, Queen Aurora smiled and rushed up to Diaval, hugging him.

"Diaval, what are you doing here? Oh, I've not been to the Moors in a month, I apologize for my absence." Queen Aurora finally noticed Diaval's arm. "What's happened to your arm?"

"I had a mishap with a hunter." Diaval said, Queen Aurora eyed Isabel warily. "Don't worry, she knows about me. She's the one who saved me."

Queen Aurora faced Isabel and smiled gently. "Thank you for saving my friend, Isabel. "

"Thank you, your Majesty." Isabel curtsied. "Although, I hadn't been told of your friendship with Master Diaval."

Diaval only looked towards his feet, shrugging his shoulders in embarrassment.

Queen Aurora giggled. "Come, we must find you a chamber and have the royal physician see to your injury. I'm sure Isabel can see to your other needs."

"Other needs, your Majesty?" Isabel asked.

"Being certain that Diaval has food, drink, clean linens, perhaps seeing to his injury if the physician allows it."

"Yes, of course, your Majesty."

It was Isabel's turn to be embarrassed as she turned a shade of crimson. Why did she think that Queen Aurora had meant the more private needs of a man? Why she had even allowed herself to think it?

Diaval was given a chamber, and a physician was notified. Thankfully, though his arm was broken, there was no sign of infection and only a few stitches were required to patch up the puncture wound; his arm was set in a splint after the physician left.

Just before sunset, Isabel went to Diaval's chamber to be certain that his splint was still attached and the bandage was clean. As she took a gentle hold on his arm to be sure the bandage hadn't become soiled, she saw Diaval smirking out of the corner of his eye.

"Is something amusing, Master Diaval?" Isabel asked.

"Nothing. I was only thinking on Maleficent. It's not an easy task to protect The Moors from danger by yourself."

"Well, if this Maleficent is as powerful as you've said, then I'm sure that everything is well."

"I suppose so."

Isabel smiled. "The bandage is clean. Let's hope it stays that way; we can't have you dealing with an infection."

As Isabel was about to leave the chamber, Diaval spoke.

"Why did you blush?" Diaval asked.

Isabel turned to Diaval. "I beg your pardon?"

"When Aurora asked you to see to my needs. Why did you blush?"

Isabel cleared her throat and squared her shoulders. "Master Diaval, I don't believe that is any of your concern. Good night."

With that, Isabel left the chamber; all Diaval could do was lean his head back and laugh.


	6. Chapter 6

Weeks had come and went, and Diaval was back on his feet. Since his arm was still weak, Aurora allowed him to stay in the castle until his strength returned.

One day, Diaval was exploring the castle garden when he saw Isabel picking something out of the ground.

"What are you doing?" Diaval asked.

Isabel looked up, slightly startled. "I-I was picking herbs. The cook is taken to bed with a fever, so me and my mother have been left to prepare meals."

Diaval took a look inside of Isabel's basket. "Thyme and basil."

"That's right. How did you know?"

"We have lots of herbs growing in the Moors."

There was a moment of silence as Isabel continued to pick the herbs and Diaval wondered around.

"What is she like?" Isabel asked.

Diaval turned to her. "Who?"

"Maleficent. You speak of her so often, and how you miss her. She must be very special."

"She is. I owe her my life."

"Are you two...?"

Isabel wasn't sure how to ask the question without sounding completely ridiculous and noisy. Still, curiousity always got the best of her.

"Are you two lovers?" She finally asked.

"We are close. She protects me, and I protect her. Do I love her? Yes. Like a son would love a mother, or a brother would love a sister. Are we lovers? No."

Isabel gave a bright smile. "How wonderful." Her smile faded quickly and she blushed. "I mean, that you have someone to look over you. She sounds wonderful. I've never met a fairy before."

Diaval approached Isabel. "Would you? Would you like to meet Maleficent?"

"I-I'm not sure that I would know what to do."

"Simple. You introduce yourself, she introduces herself and you two have met."

Isabel shook her head. "Your arm is still weak."

"We won't ride then, we'll walk."

"I have to help Mother prepare dinner."

"We'll be back before sunset, I promise."

"Master Diaval, it's simply impos-"

As Isabel reached for another herb, Diaval caught her hand and took it.

"Isabel, you helped me. Let me do this one thing for you."

Diaval finally realized he was holding Isabel's hand and quickly released it. Isabel knew that Diaval wasn't going to give up easily, and it was a few hours before supper.

Isabel smiled gently. "Very well. Let me take this basket back to the kitchen. Wait for me here."

Isabel returned inside and Diaval smiled. He only hoped that Maleficent liked Isabel and that she would be welcome in the Moors.


End file.
